Chris Evans Reportedly Offered ‘Captain America’ Lead

The long journey toward casting the title role in “The First Avenger: Captain America” might finally be at an end, as sources indicate that Chris Evans has been offered the chance to wield the shield.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios has put out an offer to Evans for the role of Steve Rogers, the scrawny soldier who ingests a secret serum to become the star-spangled superhero. If Evans accepts the part, he would agree to play Rogers in up to three “Captain America” movies, the first of which begins shooting in June under the directorial supervision of “The Wolfman” filmmaker Joe Johnston. Evans would also commit to appearances in other Marvel movies, including “The Avengers,” alongside Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

Some possible complications lie in the way of Evans’ finalized casting, which has yet to be confirmed by Marvel Studios. For one, Evans previously appeared as the Human Torch in 20th Century Fox’s “Fantastic Four” franchise, another Marvel property. Fox is allegedly revamping the film series without any of the original principle players, but Evans’ former involvement could still confound some moviegoers about his new superhero status. He’s also slated to be seen in April’s “The Losers” and August’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” making “Captain America” the actor’s fourth comic book franchise.

Another obstacle facing Evans is his attachment to “What’s Your Number?” alongside actress Anna Faris, a romantic comedy that begins shooting this summer — the same time “The First Avenger” is slated to film. That scheduling conflict would need to be resolved should Evans accept the “Captain America” job.